IPSL Forms Partnership with Portland State University

The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL) announced in July that we are pursuing a partnership with Portland State University (PSU) in which PSU will become the new academic home for the IPSL Master of Arts program in International Service.

Portland State University (PSU) has distinguished itself as a leader in the field of service-learning and has been recognized nationally for implementing a campus-wide engagement strategy that involves students and faculty in service-learning activities.

“We are thrilled to announce this new partnership,” said Margaret Pusch, Chair, IPSL Board of Trustees. “With similar service-learning missions, both IPSL and PSU see this partnership as a way to develop shared programming, research, and student services.”

In addition, with this new partnership, IPSL announced it will relocate from New York City to Portland, Oregon. “By late fall, IPSL will move its operations to Portland to have better proximity to the PSU campus,” said Pusch. The New York office will be open through October. More details about the move and new contact information will be available in October.

IPSL will continue to offer its core undergraduate service-learning programs in Ecuador, Mexico, Jamaica, Italy, India, Thailand, and with the Lakota Nation (USA), as well as offer a new option for customized programs in five different nations for college, university and other groups.

The current M.A. in International Service (MAIS) program, with a degree awarded by Roehampton University, London, will have its final cohort in 2008-09. Beginning in 2009-10, the program will be offered with a revised curriculum through Portland State University. The MAIS program prepares skilled professionals to take on leadership roles in agencies serving the needs of diverse populations on the local and international levels. Students will engage in service-learning in Portland, Oregon, and in Kingston, Jamaica, or Guadalajara, Mexico.

About IPSL >> 

IPSL

IPSL Forms Partnership with Portland State University

IPSL Welcomes New Dean of Academic Programs

IPSL Announces Search for President

Membership Update

Conferences & Workshops 

International Service-Learning Conference in Utah: October 2-3, 2008

1st Philippine National Service-Learning Conference

Programs  

Portland State University New Partner for M.A. Program

M.A. Orientation in Atlanta

IPSL Offers Customized Program Option

Alumni 

Alumni Groups on Facebook and LinkedIn

IPSL Welcomes New Dean of Academic Programs

Dr. Martha Merrill, IPSL Dean of Academic Programs from 2006-2008, has accepted a new appointment as Associate Professor of Higher Education at Kent State University in Ohio. Prior to becoming Dean at IPSL, Martha was an IPSL trustee for many years. The IPSL Board and staff extend our thanks for Martha’s many years of service to IPSL and wish her the best in her new position at Kent State.

Chris Cartwright has been appointed the new IPSL Dean of Academic Programs. Prior to joining the IPSL staff, he served 12 years as a program specialist in continuing education in the Graduate School of Education at Portland State University, where he managed programs for K-12 educators and trainers in business and industry specializing in adult education, eLearning, and Cultural Competency. Chris has over 29 years of experience managing educational and training programs in higher education, business, government and the nonprofit sectors. Chris holds a Master’s of Public Administration from IUPUI, and a B.A. from University of Michigan. He is currently a doctoral student in Educational Leadership at PSU, researching intercultural leadership in higher education. He researches, trains, and presents regionally and nationally in areas of volunteer training, intercultural sensitivity and competency, partnership, assessment of student learning, leadership, and social justice.

In addition to overseeing all IPSL undergraduate programs, Chris will be instrumental in designing and coordinating the revised M.A. program, which will be offered in cooperation with Portland State University—as well as our partner universities in Jamaica and Mexico--beginning in 2009-10. Welcome, Chris! 

IPSL Announces Search for President

Nevin Brown, who served as IPSL President since January 2006, stepped out of his role as President on July 15, 2008, to begin a new position as the Director of the Postsecondary Initiative with ACHIEVE, a Washington, DC-based education policy organization. Prior to serving as president, Nevin was the IPSL Dean of Academic Programs. The IPSL Board and staff wish to express their gratitude to Nevin for his service to IPSL, and wish him the best in his new position.

The IPSL Board of Trustees has appointed Peter Criswell as Interim President for IPSL. “Peter brings tremendous skill and experience to his interim leadership role at IPSL,” said Pusch. “He will draw upon his hands-on knowledge having previously served as the organization’s Director of Student Programs, and being an IPSL alum. Criswell has a long history of working with nonprofits and has served two successful tenures as an Executive Director.”

Criswell will serve as Interim President while the IPSL Board conducts the search and selection process that will result in the appointment of a new president, who will be based in Portland, Oregon, which will be the new location of the IPSL office as of November 1, 2008. Details on this position will be posted in the fall.

The IPSL board and staff will work closely with Criswell during the interim period to continue a 26-year history of providing high quality service-learning programs around the globe and promoting the theory and practice of service-learning.

Membership Update

We are pleased to report that IPSL now has 27 member institutions from across the United States as well as from Canada, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, and South Africa.

The annual Members’ Meeting, one of the benefits of membership in IPSL, is scheduled for November 14, 2008, at the College of Staten Island, CUNY, in New York City. The meeting will consist of a keynote address, a panel session, and breakout sessions. If you are interested in attending the meeting, but have not yet joined IPSL, please follow the link below for information.

More information on membership >>

International Service-Learning Conference in Utah:
October 2-3, 2008

On October 2-3, 2008, Utah Valley University and the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership are hosting an International Service-Learning Conference, “Engaging Your Campus and the World through International Service-Learning,” for campus teams and individuals involved in or interested in international service-learning.

Participants will engage in a variety of workshops, panel discussions, poster presentations, plenary sessions, and other activities that will help campus teams and individuals learn about best practices in international service-learning. Additionally, participants will have an opportunity to develop a campus plan for international service-learning programs and academic courses. This conference may be beneficial for study abroad departments, service-learning faculty, international centers, volunteer and service-learning departments, and other organizations interested in service-learning at an international level.

Registration is now open.

More information on the conference >>

2nd Annual “Fostering Global Citizenship in Higher Education” Conference to Be Held in Vermont:
November 10-11, 2008

Many campuses strive to develop and prepare global citizens. But how do campuses define global citizenship? How can campus departments work collaboratively to determine effective approaches for fostering active citizen engagement? What are the strategies for improving student understanding of global and cross-cultural communities?

The second annual Fostering Global Citizenship in Higher Education conference, to be held in Burlington, Vermont, USA, November 10-11, 2008, will engage participants in a variety of interactive workshops, working team sessions, and curricular design institutes to address these questions.

Goals of the Conference:

• Establish a working definition of global citizenship for each campus;
• Identify the competencies that an individual should possess to be considered a global
• Share and discuss effective approaches for teaching, developing, and preparing global
• Develop strategies for cross-departmental collaboration;
• Design or revise individual syllabi/learning plans related to global citizenship.

The conference is being sponsored by the University of Vermont and Vermont Campus Compact, and co-sponsored by World Learning/SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad and Middlebury College.

Registration materials will be posted by September 1.

More information on the conference and call for proposals >>

First Philippine National Conference on Service-Learning

Trinity University of Asia, longtime partner of IPSL and pioneer in service-learning, recently hosted the First Philippine National Conference on Service-Learning, with the theme, “Knowing & Doing: Theory and Praxis of Service-Learning.” Held on the campus of Trinity University of Asia in metro-Manila, the conference was co-sponsored by IPSL and the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. The goals of the conference were: (1) to propagate the concepts, pedagogy and praxis of service-learning to all academic institutions in the Philippines; (2) to institutionalize service-learning by integrating the concept in chosen subjects of course programs; (3) to promote service-learning programs as a means for development of civic values, cultural awareness and disciplined leadership; and (4) to strengthen service-learning programs to alleviate the problems of economically, culturally, or physically challenged individuals. IPSL Chair Margaret Pusch, unable to be in Manila in person, delivered the keynote address by video.

IPSL offers a customized program option for groups wanting to serve and learn through Trinity University of Asia in the Philippines. Details >> 

Portland State University New Partner for M.A. Program

IPSL is pleased to embark on a new partnership with Portland State University, which will co-sponsor the IPSL M.A. program beginning in summer 2009 and award the degree. The current M.A. in International Service (MAIS) program, with a degree awarded by Roehampton University, London, will have its final cohort in 2008-09. Beginning in 2009-10, the program will be offered with a revised curriculum through Portland State University.

The revised program — Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Focus in International Service-Learning & Leadership (MAIS)—will integrate rigorous academic study with substantive volunteer service in two nations, giving students opportunities to test theoretical knowledge through hands-on, practical experience in different cultures.

The MAIS program will prepare skilled professionals to take on leadership roles in agencies serving the needs of diverse populations on the local and international levels. Special focus will be placed on understanding service and leadership in international settings, where the laws, traditions, economies, and social institutions differ from those in the U.S.

The program will begin at Portland State University (PSU), in Portland, Oregon, one of the most civically-engaged universities in the United States, for summer and fall course work and service placements. For the spring term, each student may choose to serve and learn at either the University of Technology in Kingston, Jamaica, or at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Mexico. All students will return to PSU for the summer and fall terms. The program takes 18 months to complete.

More information on the M.A. program >>

M.A. Orientation in Atlanta

A week-long orientation for the 2008-09 cohort of Master of Arts in International Service students was held August 10-15 at Emory University’s Center for International Programs Abroad (CIPA) in Atlanta, GA. The program gives students a chance to meet before going to Jamaica or Mexico for the fall term and England in the spring, and provides them with an orientation in intercultural communication, an introduction to the nonprofit world, and career development. This year’s ten students come from the United States, Chile, and Canada. Some of their areas of interest include:   refugee issues, human rights, international public health, gender issues, disaster relief, and creating NGOs.

Dr. Martha C. Merrill, outgoing IPSL Dean of Academic Programs, started the week off with some intercultural and experiential learning, then turned it over to Mr. Chris Cartwright, the incoming IPSL Dean of Academic Programs. Also present were Dr. Jennifer Hall, Program Director from Jamaica, and Biol. Jose Luis Arreguin, Program Director from Mexico. The Co-Conveners of the London program, Dr. Jenny Iles and Mr. Bill Rushbrooke, participated via video conferencing. The program directors gave the students an “in-country” orientation on expectations and realities in the different countries.

While in Atlanta, the students went on excursions to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site and the Carter Presidential Center. They also participated in a workshop at the Foundation Center and were introduced to the vast array of resources available to grant-seekers, foundations, and nonprofits. In addition to the packed schedule of intercultural learning sessions, there were many engaging and interactive activities, especially at the Villa International where the students stayed. There they were introduced to southern cuisine the very first night when they had dinner with the Humphrey Fellows, a group of international professors with expertise in the medical field. A welcome dinner was also held at a Caribbean restaurant, which received rave reviews from the students. The week concluded with a Mexican reception, and can be summed up by what the students had to say:

“This was the best orientation I have ever received prior to an overseas experience.”

“I now have a new framework for thinking about cultural situations.”

“I understand myself better so that I can fit into a new culture with greater ease.”

“Thanks for a GREAT week!!”

IPSL Offers Option for Customized Programs

In addition to IPSL’s core undergraduate programs in Ecuador, Mexico, Jamaica, Italy, India, Thailand, and with the Lakota Nation, IPSL is pleased to offer the option of customized programs, which may be arranged to meet the specific needs of college and university groups, as well as other groups desiring a specially designed service-learning experience.

Beginning Spring 2009, core undergraduate programs, following the same IPSL program model as in previous years, will continue to be offered in: Ecuador (Guayaquil, Quito, and the Galapagos); Mexico; Jamaica; and with the Lakota Nation, USA; Italy; India; and Thailand.

Customized programs will be offered in England, Scotland, Russia, the Philippines, and with the Lakota Nation in South Dakota, USA. In keeping with the IPSL philosophy of multilateral reciprocity, all customized programs will involve both service and learning, in partnership with local agencies and host universities, so that participants have sufficient cultural and societal knowledge to provide effective service to their host communities as well as an academic context for their experiential learning. Programs must be long enough so that the host agencies and clients receive real benefit from the participants’ service; therefore, customized programs must be a minimum of 4 weeks, and may be as long as a semester or year. 

Unlike the coursework in IPSL’s core programs, the learning in customized programs need not be for academic credit, although credit for demonstrated learning may be arranged, if desired.

In addition to programs for college and university students and other groups, IPSL can design customized programs for groups of gap-year students, provided they are 18 years of age or older.

To discuss possibilities for a customized program, please contact Chris Cartwright, IPSL Dean of Academic Programs, at ccartwright@ipsl.org.

More information on Customized Programs >>
 

IPSL Alumni Groups on Facebook and LinkedIn

Did you know that IPSL has groups set up on Facebook and LinkedIn? Please join and network with your fellow IPSL alumni!

Facebook

IPSL Alumni: Undergraduate Programs

IPSL Alumni: MA in International Service

To join one of these groups, you must first be registered on Facebook.com (free). Once you have created a profile on Facebook, you can search for “IPSL,” then click on “Groups” in the tabs above your search results, then scroll down to the group you want to join and click “Join group.” Or, if you are logged in already, just click on one of the links above to get to your group, then click “Join this group” under the IPSL logo.

LinkedIn

The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL)

This group is a place for alumni, friends, and colleagues of International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership to connect to the IPSL community. To join the IPSL group on LinkedIn, you need to have an account and profile set up on LinkedIn.com (free). Once you have created a profile, search for “IPSL” under Groups, and click “Join this group.” Your request will be forwarded to IPSL for confirmation.